‘Our home looks gorgeous from space’: Artemis II releases first stunning Earth images

NASA has released the first images of Earth captured by astronauts aboard the Artemis II mission, offering a striking view of the planet as the crew heads toward the Moon.

The photographs were downlinked about a day and a half after launch, shortly after the Orion spacecraft completed its translunar injection burn. The images were taken by mission commander Reid Wiseman from the spacecraft’s windows.

A rare view of Earth beyond orbit

One of the images shows a curved slice of Earth set against deep space, with auroras visible across different parts of the planet. Another captures the full globe, with oceans, cloud systems, and a faint green aurora glowing along the edge.

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NASA said zodiacal light, which is the sunlight scattered by interplanetary dust, can also be seen in the background as Earth partially eclipses the Sun.

Reflecting on the image, NASA exploration systems leader Lakiesha Hawkins said, “It’s great to think that with the exception of our four friends, all of us are represented in this image,” according to AP.

A moment that echoes Apollo 17

NASA also released a side-by-side comparison with an image taken during Apollo 17 in 1972 — the last time humans travelled to the Moon.

“We’ve come so far in the last 54 years, but one thing hasn’t changed: our home looks gorgeous from space!” the agency said in a post on X. The comparison highlights both technological advances and the continuity of human space exploration across generations.

Mission halfway to the Moon

As of Saturday, Artemis II is roughly halfway through its journey. The four-member crew will perform a lunar flyby before returning to Earth, testing systems designed for future deep-space missions.

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The mission does not include a landing but is considered a critical step in NASA’s long-term Artemis programme, which aims to establish a sustained human presence on the Moon and eventually support missions to Mars.

Recalling the moment Earth came fully into view, Wiseman said in a televised interview, “It was the most spectacular moment, and it paused all four of us in our tracks.”